Golden Moment
by Issylt
Summary: Team Gai vs Kisame AU. With Lee and Guy unconscious, and Ten Ten trapped in a Water Prison, Neji must fight to save his best friend...alone, before Ten Ten dies of suffocation. Teneji oneshot


Neji found himself flung backwards yet again as another vicious blast of water from Kisame Hoshigaki struck him squarely. Kisame laughed then, a high, evil, cold laughter, before hurling further insults at Neji, which the young, 16-year-old rookie Jonin somehow managed not to quite hear.

He, Might Guy, Ten Ten and Rock Lee had been fighting the shark-faced Akatsuki for no less than two full hours, yet the four of them were still somehow unable to prevail. As it was, Lee was already lying completely unconscious on a rock nearby, while his sensei, Guy, lay next to him, half-conscious only, still unable to move.

_This is mighty bad_, Neji thought with dismay, as he cast a glance at Ten Ten, the only other member besides him still standing. _A rookie Jonin and Chunin aren't quite enough to defeat an S-class Rogue alone! We'll need help from someone like Kakashi-sensei or at least Tsunade-sama herself to take someone like this down! _

"Giving up already, insect?" Kisame mocked, as Neji stood gasping and panting with exhaustion.

"We never give up! That's not our way of the ninja!" Ten Ten snapped, flinging another bunch of kunais and shurikens at Kisame angrily.

"Heh! Pathetic! Did you do something?" Kisame enquired, as he raised his large Sameheda sword, blocking the weapons effortlessly. "Oh well. Apparently not. Water element, water clone!"

"Watch out, Ten Ten!" Neji yelled out, as the water rose in front of Ten Ten, forming another Kisame. "Get out of the way!"

Ten Ten moved at once, but was unfortunately a trifle too slow. With one swift, graceful motion, Kisame swept his sword outwards, and struck Ten Ten's legs directly, tripping up the Chunin neatly.

"Ten Ten!"

"Water element, Water Prison!"

As Ten Ten struggled to her feet, a huge gush of deep blue water promptly rushed over her, engulfing her completely before thinning out slightly. By the time it stopped, Ten Ten was horrified to discover she was trapped, unable to move a limb.

"Arrgh! Can't move!"

"This is no normal water," Kisame told her sneeringly. "With my chakra, I've made it far denser than any normal water. You won't be able to get out of there unless I should dispel it myself. Too bad, insect-brain!"

_Damn it! I can't fight this man alone! Guy-sensei, oh, why can't you just get up at least? Why did you have to take that blow? _

"Hah! Just one more insect! Easy job!"

Training his Byakugan eyes on Kisame, Neji watched as Kisame again built up another huge amount of chakra, no doubt ready for another attack. Gritting his teeth with dismay, Neji moved, just out of range.

"Neji! I can't breathe!"

"Hold on, Ten Ten! Don't struggle! Keep calm, don't panic!"

"It's no use! No matter what you do, you'll never beat me!" Kisame taunted, laughing as Neji turned pale with anxiety for Ten Ten.

_Think, Neji, think! What would someone like Shikamaru or Kakashi-sensei do in a position like this? _

Willing himself to breath normally, slowly, Neji scoured the landscape behind and in front of Kisame. The latter was already preparing for another attack, performing hand signs at top speed. Further to his left, his water clone stood in place still, maintaining the Water Prison. Behind the real Kisame, as far as Neji could see, was nothing else.

_That's it! I'll just have to take advantage of his water attack and strike while he can't see me! _

"Water element, Water Dragon!"

From the water, a huge, tall, sinister-looking water dragon rose, its eyes gleaming bright gold. It towered high above Neji for a moment, and then descended mercilessly.

Neji moved at once, despite his increasing fatigue. Clenching his fists, and concentrating like he never had before, he leaped, and used a quick variant of the Divine Sixty-Four Palm Strike to dispel it. It was far from easy; the water dragon was dangerously fast and strong, and by the time it was over, Neji was lying facedown, ready to faint any moment.

"Neji! Get up and fight!" Ten Ten managed to call out desperately despite her inability to breathe, heart turning cold at the prospect of Neji losing consciousness there and then. Everything relied on him now; if he lost, it was all over.

_Move, Neji, move! You can't faint now! Everything is depending on you! Are you just going to lie here while your sensei and teammates face possible death? _

Groaning, gasping, Neji forced himself to his feet, shaking as he watched Kisame. His hands were moving swiftly again; Neji did not doubt that if he did not avoid this coming attack, all was lost.

_I cannot lose, I cannot lose! _

Before him, the water rose again like a tsunami, towering dangerously high. Gritting his teeth, Neji rolled aside, where the force of the water was weakest. Taking a deep breath, he took advantage of the fact that Kisame could not see him then, and dove underwater, moving his arms and legs furiously.

The water wall descended, thrusting Neji forward at a furious pace. Neji half-choked, and nearly lost his bearings. Dismay swept over him more ferociously than the water wall; he did not think he might have another chance like this.

_Yes! What do you know? That water wall actually sped me up in the right direction! Looks like fate is on my side at last! _

Slowly breathing out the remaining bit of air from his lungs, he surfaced directly behind Kisame, careful to keep a safe distance. The water wall had just cleared; Kisame was starting to look out for Neji again.

"Eight Trigrams, Divine One Hundred and Twenty Eight Palm Strike!"

"What –" Kisame spluttered, flipping around only to notice Neji already in the correct stance.

"Take this!" Neji roared, lunging forward and striking at Kisame's chakra points at top speed, showing no mercy.

Kisame groaned and gasped, but was unable to react. As Neji finished off the last two strikes, Kisame was utterly dismayed to find that every ounce of energy had drained from him. Choking up blood, he collapsed weakly to his knees, spluttering.

"Good work, Neji! Take care of Ten Ten; I'll manage this fellow!"

"Guy-sensei?"

"I'll be fine. Go forth with the power of youth!"

_Still hyped-up as ever, as usual! _Neji thought wryly, watching as his sensei, finally having regained consciousness, rushed forward eagerly.

"Neji! Help!" Ten Ten's voice was growing weaker and fainter, as her head drooped upon her chest. "I can't hold on much longer!"

"Just a little longer! Eight Trigrams, Divine Sixty-Four Palm Strike!" Forcing every last ounce of chakra and energy into it, Neji leaped forward, and attacked the water clone viciously, while Ten Ten watched with a kind of desperate hope.

The water clone dispelled at once.

Ten Ten let out a sigh, and collapsed.

"Ten Ten! Are you alright?" Neji gasped anxiously, striding forward and deftly catching Ten Ten in his arms before she hit the ground, letting her head rest on his shoulder.

Silence for several seconds, and then Ten Ten stirred, lifting her head weakly. Her face was deathly pale, and her eyes somewhat blank and confused. Breathing out with utter relief, Neji shut his eyes momentarily, tightening his arms around Ten Ten.

"Thanks, Neji," Ten Ten whispered quietly. "You – you saved me." That was all she could manage.

"Thank goodness you made it," Neji muttered, heart beating at thrice the pace in his chest as he laid a hand on her wet, pale cheek.

"Course…I did." Very slowly, Ten Ten looked up at her rescuer, her dark eyes locking with Neji's grey ones. Her pale cheeks were already tinged with a light reddish colour; Neji thought he could never feel more awkward.

"Neji…"

"Ten Ten…"

Neither of them knew who leaned forward first. It seemed to happen at precisely the same moment, and then their lips were touching in a soft, chaste, long kiss. Not a passionate, heated one, more of a I'm-so-glad-we-made-it kiss of friendship and relief. By the time it was over, both of them were feeling hotter than fire, despite being dripping wet still. Ten Ten's face was tomato-red; her hand seemed to be moving on its own, as it crept up behind Neji's neck, making contact with his long black hair, of which a few wet strands were still hanging over his handsome face.

"Ten Ten…"

"Shhh. I know, Neji. I know. What – what's going on now? How's the situation?"

Neji turned to look behind. As expected, Guy was gaining the upper hand easily, taking Kisame down with his Morning Peacock technique, fuelled up by the opening of six chakra gates. It was certainly a not-too-pleasant sight, what with Guy high in the air, his skin a dark red colour, kicking and attacking Kisame with viscous ferocity and speed.

"Where's Lee?"

"Close enough."

"We'd better go and check on him," Ten Ten said, with a sigh. "Neji, can you please help me up?"

"You'd better not walk at all…"

"Hey, I'm not some damsel-in-distress," Ten Ten said, with her old, familiar smile. "We'd better go and check on Lee, before worse comes to that hyped-up boy."

"Yeah, sure. OK, up you go, Ten Ten. There, take it slowly…" Very carefully and slowly, Neji wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and aided Ten Ten to her somewhat shaky feet. Smiling discreetly, Ten Ten leaned her head against his shoulder, and, with Neji's aid, made slow progress over to Lee, who was still lying unconscious on the ground.

Their one golden moment would never be forgotten, no matter what happened after that.

**OK, finis!!! Hoped you like this one. Please REVIEW now and tell me what you think, thanks. **


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